Digital Spirits
by Night Shade 1427
Summary: Bleach/Digimon xover. When Matsuda Takato comes to Karakura, he faces more problems than just digimon. Joining with the Shinigami, he has to deal with the unexpected alliance between Aizen and Millenniummon. ON HIATUS
1. The Deathberry and the Hazard Child

Digital Spirits

Here's the first chapter of my Bleach/Digimon Tamers crossover. Originally, I'd intended to split it in two, but figured it was better off this way. Please tell me what you think. This one is unbetaed as I still need a beta. If there's anyone who wouldn't mind doing it for me, please notify me.

**Summary:** Bleach/Digimon xover. When Matsuda Takato moves to Karakura Town, he finds that digimon aren't his only problems. Forced to team up with Ichigo and his companions when Aizen becomes aware of the digimon and starts using them to increase the strength of his own forces, the sole Tamer finds himself in over his head. Things get worse with the resurgence of Millenniummon and Aizen's growing interest in the destructive force that is the Digital Hazard that could very well cause the apocalypse if used wrongly...

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bleach or Digimon Tamers.

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Chapter OneThe Deathberry and the Hazard Child

16-year old Matsuda Takato was rather bummed out. He and his parents were moving to Karakura Town because his parents were intending to extend their business into that area. Takato hadn't been very happy about it because it meant that he would have to leave the other Tamers, his best friends, behind.

They'd assured him that it wouldn't be so bad and that they'd keep in touch, but it wasn't the same. Now he'd be alone… well somewhat. He still had Guilmon with him, and Impmon was tagging along to. The poor Imp was partnerless again. Ai and Mako had broken their promise about not fighting and Impmon just couldn't handle it, so he'd run. He'd taken residence at the Matsuda Bakery and had become a welcome member of the family. They didn't mind him coming along either. The others supported the idea as well. If there was any chance of digimon bio-emerging into Takato's new city of residence, Impmon would be good support for the Hazard Tamer.

So there he was, unpacking in his new room. The new bakery was situated right next to a place called Kurosaki Clinic. Takato found it kind of interesting that it was a sort of business/home like his was. But other than that, he didn't really think much about it. They would be meeting the family for dinner in an hour or two.

"I wonder if there's anything to do in a place like this." Impmon grumbled, lying lazily on Takato's desk.

"We can always play." A childish voice called out. Takato, Guilmon and Impmon all looked curiously at Takato's backpack, which appeared to be squirming… they were all rather surprised when they saw Calumon pop out of it.

"What are you doing here?" Takato asked the tiny Catalyst of Digivolution in surprise.

"It looked like you guys were going on an adventure, so I decided to tag along." Calumon chirped happily. Impmon and Takato sweatdropped at the innocent digimon's decision while Guilmon, who was equally as childlike, looked rather pleased.

"You guys can play, but you're going to have to be quiet. The Kurosaki family from next door is coming over shortly and the last thing we need is a big commotion." Takato said. "Now be nice. I've got to go help my mom cook."

"Okay." Guilmon and Calumon said obediently while Impmon just grumbled his acquiescence.

Ichigo lay on his bed in a rather contemplative mood. There were still two months until Aizen's invasion. From his experience in Hueco Mundo, he had realized one thing. He was still a long way from being able to defeat Aizen. The power gap between them was still very large.

He was broken out of his musing when his dad burst into the room, a goofy smile on his face. "Come, my son! It's time to meet our new neighbors and welcome them properly to the neighborhood!" he exclaimed, doing a weird little dance.

"Stop being so weird!" Karin said, kicking Isshin to stop him. "If you act like that around our new neighbors, you're going to freak them out for sure!"

"How can you be so mean?" Isshin whined, putting a hand over his bleeding nose. Karin just 'hned' and dragged him out of Ichigo's room.

"Looks like your family is as lively as ever." Rukia remarked from where she sat at Ichigo's desk. "So, a family finally moved in next door to you?"

"Yeah, the Matsuda family. Apparently, they came from the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. They have one kid who is about my age. They're running a bakery at their home." Ichigo stated. "That's about all I figured out."

"Interesting. Perhaps you and their son could get along." Rukia mused.

"That all depends on what he's like." Ichigo remarked. "Do you intend to tag along?"

"Of course. It sounds like a fun experience and your father isn't one who would refuse to allow me to tag along." Rukia said with a small smirk. Ichigo just shook his head at that.

"I wonder what they're like." Yuzu said happily as they all walked next door and knocked on the door. Although it was a bakery and most people just walked in and out without the normal formalities, they figured that considering they were guests they would use the normal courtesy.

A man who looked like he was in his early forties with neat brown hair and brown eyes smiled as he opened the door. "You must be the Kurosaki family. Please come in." he said, moving aside to allow them. "I'm Matsuda Takehiro, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Matsuda-san." Isshin said, actually behaving for once. "I'm Kurosaki Isshin, and these are my three precious children: Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu. And this is Kuchiki Rukia, Ichigo's classmate and good friend. She's staying with us for the time being."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Takehiro said, bowing his head. "This is my wife, Mie and my son, Takato. He will be attending Karakura High starting in a few days."

"That's the school Ichigo and Rukia go to. Perhaps they'll be in the same class." Isshin said optimistically. They all settled down to eat and Isshin started talking comfortably with Mie and Takehiro.

Takato observed Ichigo silently. Ichigo stood out vividly thanks to both his bright orange hair and the permanent scowl plastered on his face. Takato was used to Impmon having a similar expression on his face, so he wasn't at all intimidated like some others would have been.

"So how's Karakura High?" Takato queried curiously, starting the conversation.

"It's just like any other school I'd say." Ichigo said. "Although we have our fair share of weirdos."

"I think all schools have that." Takato said with a dry smile. "This city has an interesting feel to it, wouldn't you say?" He'd felt something strange when they'd entered the city. Even the digimon could tell there was something odd about it. Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other. Takato wasn't able to sense reiatsu, was he? Karakura Town was more spiritually charged than most places so those with spiritual awareness could easily tell.

'_Now that I think about it, Matsuda-kun has a very interesting feeling to him too…_' Rukia thought with a puzzled frown. It was a disconcerting aura… she couldn't tell exactly what it was.

Suddenly, Takato heard a bit of a disturbance coming from the kitchen and turning, he saw a glimpse of a long red tail. He paled. "Er… I'll be right back." Then he scampered off into the kitchen.

"Is he always this excitable?" Karin inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Sometimes." Mie said, sweatdropping as she tried to divert their attention as Takato furiously tried to drag his wandering partner back up the stairs to his new room.

"Didn't I ask you to stay inside?" Takato hissed, looking a little flustered. "What if they'd seen you?"

"I'm sorry..." Guilmon said, his ears drooping. Takato's eyes softened.

"I know it's a bit stifling in here, but can you all bear it a little while longer?" Takato pleaded. His partner nodded and then Takato returned to the dinner table.

"Sorry about that." The Tamer apologized. "I realized I'd left the stove on in the kitchen."

"That could have been disastrous." Yuzu stated. "It's a good thing you remembered."

They talked amiably for the rest of the evening before the Kurosaki family (and Rukia) had to leave.

"It was nice meeting you all. I hope you like it here in Karakura." Isshin said with a bright smile.

"I'm sure we will." Takehiro said.

"How about we meet to go to school together on Monday?" Rukia asked Takato with a bright smile.

"I'd like that." He said warmly, waving goodbye.

"See Takato? Things are going well already." Mie told her son.

"I guess." He said, still feeling slightly depressed about being away from his friends. However, he'd attempt to keep a positive outlook, to make his parents happy.

On Monday, Takato was preparing for his first day of school. He was a little nervous, both for the fact that he was about to be the new kid and it would be the first time in the new city that he'd have to leave the three digimon completely to their own devices. Of course, his parents were there, but the digimon would be cooped up in the house. Unlike in Shinjuku, they didn't have the luxury of being able to go about without causing mass panic. He promised to make it up to them big time when he got back from school, knowing they deserved a reward for their patience.

"Ya look like that Ken guy from the Digimon TV show in that boring gray uniform." Impmon said, sniffing disapprovingly at Takato's outfit.

"Not like there's anything I can do about it." Takato shrugged. "I guess I'll see you guys later. Be good for my parents. There's plenty of food in the day old bread storage area if you get hungry."

He walked out to where Rukia and Ichigo were waiting for him. "Ready to go?" the orange-haired teenager queried and Takato nodded. They could tell he was a little nervous.

"It won't be so bad." Rukia assured him. "I'm sure you'll adjust well."

"I hope so." Takato said shyly. After they arrived at the school, they bumped into Ichigo's friends.

"Ichigo!" Keigo cried out excitedly, running towards him, only to get knocked down by the scowling teenager. Takato felt a small smile fighting to emerge on his face. This guy seemed a lot like Hirokazu… "You're so mean, Ichigo." Keigo pouted before noticing Takato. "Who's this?"

"This is Matsuda Takato, my new neighbor and a new student at the school." Ichigo stated. "Takato, meet Asano Keigo. He's unfortunately a friend of mine."

"What do you mean 'unfortunately?'" Keigo squawked, looking wounded.

"Exactly what it sounds like, Asano-san." Mizuiro stated as he finally arrived.

"Again with the polite talk!" Keigo bemoaned, looking like he was ready to cry.

"And that's Kojima Mizuiro, Keigo's best friend. They're almost inseparable." Rukia introduced with a wide smile.

'_Seems just like Hirokazu and Kenta._' Takato thought decisively. It felt a bit comforting seeing those similarities.

"Ichigo." Chad greeted simply and Ichigo grinned at the sight of his large best friend. Ishida and Orihime were with him.

"Meet Yasutora "Chad" Sado. He's my best friend. Trust me, he's a really good person to have watching your back." The Substitute Shinigami said with a smirk. Takato and Chad nodded at each other in acknowledgement. "The scrawny idiot wearing glasses is Ishida Uryuu and the girl next to him is a good friend of mine, Inoue Orihime. She's the real innocent type… kind of like you, I suppose." Ichigo completely ignored the glare he received from Ishida.

"Innocent…" Takato repeated, sweatdropping. Why was it that everyone seemed to believe he exuded that quality so much?

"You're not forgetting me now, are you Ichigo?" Tatsuki threatened, putting the boy in a headlock which he easily got out of. She then turned to Takato. "I'm Arisawa Tatsuki, Orihime's best friend and I've known Ichigo since we were both kids. We took martial arts together. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet all of you." Takato said politely. He then looked at his watch. "I suppose I should be going to meet the principal about getting my schedule, shouldn't I?"

"I suppose so." Ichigo said. "I'll show you how to get there."

In the end, Takato was in Ichigo's class (much to his relief). The entire class seemed rather interesting in Takato's mind. They seemed so… lively. He didn't think he'd get bored there.

Things just seemed to be fine for the next few days until Ichigo and his friends sensed the presence of a couple of Espada – more specifically, Yammy and Ulquiorra.

Making a quick excuse, Ichigo, Ishida, Orihime, Chad and Rukia rushed out of the room to go deal with the Espada. Not even five minutes later, Takato's D-Arc began to flash red from where it laid hanging from a string around his neck. '_Of all the times for a digimon to emerge._' He groaned before raising his hand. "Ano… sensei, I've really got to go to the bathroom."

The teacher stared at him before sighing. "Very well, but make it quick." She said.

"Thanks." Takato said, rushing out of the room. '_This was so much easier back in Shinjuku… I didn't even have to lie when I ran out of class to deal with a bio-emergence._' He was quite thankful that he'd opted to bring Guilmon (as Jyarimon) to school with him, hidden within his bag.

Ichigo and the others found Ulquiorra and Yammi in the same park area where they'd first met. "Figures you wouldn't be very original with where you popped up." Ichigo growled, placing a hand on the hilt of Zangetsu as he prepared to fight them. Ulquiorra just stared at Ichigo as if he was looking at an idiot.

"We are not here to fight you, Kurosaki Ichigo." He said coldly. "But if you so adamantly wish it, I fear we have no choice but to cut you down before going about our business." He fired a cero, forcing the group to scatter in order to avoid getting hit. Yet, they still got caught in the aftershock.

Ishida moved quickly to shield Orihime as they slammed into a tree (both being the lightest of all the warriors, and thus, the most easily affected by the blast) while the others managed to find stable ground and avoid hitting anything.

It was then when a beam of bright white light burst from the ground before spreading around the area in the shape of a foggy dome. Everything became obscure and it took a bit before everyone adjusted to the new atmosphere. "What's going on?" Rukia exclaimed, looking everywhere with wide-eyes. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Strange laughter filled the air, making the groups' hackles rise. Slowly, they saw a silhouette form in the center of the dome. He looked like the devil with a red mask covering his face, a red tail with a triangular barb on the end, black bat wings with a red interior and a black and red leather outfit that remotely looked like a vampire's. He had a red three-pronged spear in his hand.

"Who the hell are you?" Ichigo asked with a frown, on guard. The feeling he got from this creature made him uneasy.

"I am Phelesmon… and that's all you need to know because I'm going to kill you now." the Fallen Angel digimon exclaimed, about to attack Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Ishida and Chad.

"Pyro Sphere!" a childish voice suddenly yelled a basketball-sized fireball struck Phelesmon, distracting him. Everyone, including the Espada, turned their attention to the red dinosaur, that was about half as tall as Chad, run into the battlefield, golden eyes shrunken with a feral quality as he growled at the larger digimon. Phelesmon smirked at the sight of the Rookie-level digimon.

"A Hazard digimon… I haven't seen one of you in years. How fascinating." The devil stated, leering at the tiny digimon. "Your data will help me greatly."

"I won't let you kill him!" another voice called out and Ichigo and his friends were stunned when none other than Takato emerged with his goggles covering his eyes to help him see through the fog. Once he got through the heaviest bit of it, the brunette took the goggles off and glared defiantly at the Ultimate-level digimon in front of him. He took out a strange white device that had a gold rim with strange symbols on it around the small square LCD-screen and pointed it at the digimon. A holographic screen appeared as he read out the information he received. "Phelesmon, an Ultimate-level Fallen Angel digimon. A Virus type. He's said to be one of the incarnations of the devil himself… Special Attacks are Demon's Shout and Black Statue." He didn't look pleased. He then noticed Ichigo and the others, despite the fact that Ichigo, Rukia and the Espada shouldn't have been seen by a mortal. Then again, Takato wasn't an ordinary one. "What are you guys doing here? And what's with the weird outfits?"

"You can see us?" Rukia said, stunned.

"Um… am I not supposed to?" Takato asked, blinking in confusion.

"Annoying mortal…" Yammi said derisively. "Stay out of our way." He increased his reiatsu until Takato started choking, not able to take the pressure.

"Stop it!" Orihime yelled as Takato passed out, his digimon cards and D-Arc falling onto the ground.

"Takato!" Guilmon roared, angered at what happened to his partner. A red light surrounded him. "_Guilmon Digivolve to… Growlmon!_"

The Shinigami and Ryoka stared dumbly as the saurian digimon got bigger, as tall as a five-story building. He had also gained two spikes on his arms and a shock of spiky white hair.

"What the hell is he?" Rukia gaped, eyeing the dragon.

"I believe Matsuda-kun had referred to him as a digimon…" Ishida said, frowning ever so slightly. "I'm assuming these are the monsters that once appeared in Shinjuku on a constant basis."

"What are they doing here?" Ichigo inquired. For the time being, the Espada had been completely forgotten. They'd been obscured by the fog and had shown no signs of wanting to attack. They were just… watching.

"I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Ishida said, frowning. "For now, I don't recommend getting between the two of them. That dragon doesn't seem very stable right now…"

"But look at all of the damage they're causing." Orihime stated, noticing that the park was taking major casualties as a result of Growlmon and Phelesmon's battle.

"Demon's Shout!" Phelesmon yelled, screaming and releasing a massive wave of energy in Growlmon's direction. The dragon dug his claws into the ground and stood his ground but everything else, namely the trees, started getting blown away. Phelesmon just grinned. "You saved yourself… but what about your Tamer?"

Growlmon whirled around, horrified as he saw a tree about to fall on the unconscious form of his Tamer. "Takato!!" he screamed, knowing he wouldn't be able to make it in time.


	2. Finishing the Fight

Chapter Two

Here's another chapter. Thought I'd get one more in before I went off to vacation for a while. Feel free to tell me what you think or if there's anything you find lacking. I can use the advice. I fear my battle scenes may not be great, but I leave it up to you to decide if it's good or bad. Hope you enjoy it.

**Kyokoaurora**: Hey, you were my first reviewer. And I didn't exactly work fast. I'd been plotting this for a week or two but hadn't been able to finish the first chapter until after finals are over.

**Digifreak51794**: I did find it a major pity that this type of crossover was so rare (if at all present). Took me forever to find something I could use to really connect the two series together.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bleach or Digimon.

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Chapter TwoFinishing the Fight

A black blur suddenly shielded Takato, catching the falling tree in one hand and pushing it so it fell harmlessly away from the fallen Tamer. Beelzemon, Impmon's Mega form, looked straight at Growlmon and glared. "Yo, Pineapplehead! Focus on the battle and I'll protect the Gogglehead!" he exclaimed. The relieved dragon nodded before glaring at Phelesmon.

"Aren't you going to help him?" Orihime asked innocently as she headed over to check on Takato. Beelzemon stared at her, intimidating her slightly with his demonic appearance.

"This is Growlmon's fight." The Demon Lord stated. He then looked down at Takato. "Wonderful time to pass out on us, Your Highness. Right when your partner needs ya the most."

"Shouldn't we be worrying about the Espada as well?" Chad pointed out, remembering the reason they'd come out there in the first place. The only reason they'd forgotten was that now, they couldn't feel their reiatsu.

"Are they still here? You'd reckon they'd have attacked by now." Rukia said with a small frown.

"They did say they weren't here to fight." Orihime pointed out. "I think they left already."

"Then what are they here for?" Ichigo frowned, crossing his arms and huffing. "And are you sure you're not going to help? Your… Growlmon doesn't seem like he's doing so well."

Phelesmon's superiority in battle was becoming evident as he beat Growlmon down, without even using his Special Attacks. He was using his speed and strength to his full advantage to wear the Champion-level digimon out. Beelzemon didn't look pleased but he didn't intervene. However, Rukia could understand his sentiments.

"There are two types of battles." She stated. "One to protect one's life and one to protect one's pride. This one is the latter." She kept her captain's words close to her heart.

Beelzemon turned to glare at Takato. "So you're just gonna lie there?" the Mega-level digimon snarled, seeming not to care that the boy was unconscious. "Your partner is going to _die_ out there, Gogglehead. Are ya just gonna let that happen? What kind of Tamer are ya? Get up! Get the hell up and save his ass, ya bastard!" he screamed out in rage. He was silenced by a sharp punch to the face as an irate Takato finally opened his eyes.

"You talk too much." The Hazard Tamer muttered, sounding displeased. "Now shut up and let me do what I need to."

"Ya know that didn't hurt, right?" Beelzemon said with a raised eyebrow as Takato stumbled over to where his D-Arc and cards were. Takato gave him a wry smirk, raising the hand he'd used to punch the Mega, showing his bleeding knuckles.

"I know." He said. He knelt down to pick up the D-Arc and seemed to grab a random card which began to glow.

"What's going on?" Ishida questioned, looking confused.

"You'll see." The Demon Lord of Gluttony declared, smirking.

"_Digimodify! Matrix Digivolution Activate!_" Takato cried out, slashing the blue card through his digivice.

Red light consumed Growlmon and he began to change. "_Growlmon Matrix Digivolve to… WarGrowlmon!_"

"He changed again." Ichigo gaped, looking surprised. The dragon now appeared to be partly cyborg, with big metal arms, red and white chest armor (with jets on the back) and a gray face mask that covered his snout. And he got even bigger too.

"It's called digivolution, bud." Beelzemon stated. "All of us digimon are capable of it… well, save one."

"What's with Matsuda-kun?" Orihime asked, noting that Takato was acting rather funny now that he'd brought his partner to the Ultimate level. His eyes had a golden tint to them (much like Ichigo's when his Hollow began to take over) and he looked down right feral. On the outside it didn't seem like he was aware of what was going on around him, but they all had a feeling that somehow, he was possibly more aware of things than they were.

"He's merged minds with his partner." Beelzemon said. "You'll see what comes out of it."

"Aizen-sama will be quite interested in this." Ulquiorra mused from the opposite side of the battlefield, observing the peculiar human, his two monstrous companions and the enemy they were fighting. Both he and Yammi made sure to remain unseen by their enemies.

Phelesmon didn't waste any time attacking the cyborg dragon, slashing away with his claws and spear. So far, his speed still gave him the advantage.

Ichigo and his friends could only watch in horror as they witnessed Takato thrashing about, as if he was being hit by some invisible force. It was even more alarming when Phelesmon slashed WarGrowlmon's face, Takato's face was jerked roughly to the side and they saw blood trickle down from three new gashes that had appeared out of nowhere on Takato's cheek.

"Is this a consequence of this mind-merging?" Ishida said, sounding disturbed. He had deduced that whatever happened to WarGrowlmon happened to Takato early on but had remained quiet about it, until now. "Why would he do it if it's only going to get him hurt?"

"By merging minds, Takato is able to grant his own strength and energy to his partner, increasing his chances of winning the battle." Beelzemon stated. "Feeling Pineapplehead's pain is a side effect that Takato bears with."

It seemed WarGrowlmon had finally regained his bearings, however, as suddenly his right hand caught both of Phelesmon's in his, stopping his attack. Takato mirrored the motion, the tension in his body making it appear as if he was really at odds with some opposing force.

"Radiation Blades!" Tamer and digimon chorused together and they slashed at Phelesmon with WarGrowlmon's glowing metal claws. Phelesmon cried out in pain, data streaming from his torso as he flew through the air. Takato and WarGrowlmon were hardly done, however. Their arms moved to the side and WarGrowlmon's chestplate opened. "Atomic Blaster!" they yelled. Two red beams struck Phelesmon, deciding his fate.

"So this is the power of a Hazard digimon?" Phelesmon gasped before dissipating into data. Instantly, Takato returned to normal, dropping to his knees and panting.

Ulquiorra stared at the scene, expressionless. "It's time to go, Yammi. We saw what we came to see." They opened a Gargantua and left, completely unnoticed by the distracted Shinigami and Ryoka.

"Ya shouldn't have played with that guy so much. Ya coulda just destroyed him." Beelzemon said, sounding disapproving. "Ya know your mom's gonna freak when she sees you like this."

Takato looked a little sheepish from where he was apologizing to WarGrowlmon for being sloppy. "Gomen… I guess I was still a little disoriented from whatever that was that knocked me out."

"Is anybody else here confused?" Ichigo asked, crossing his arms.

"Do you know nothing of what went on in Shinjuku six years ago, Kurosaki?" Ishida asked, sounding exasperated.

"It looks like it's time for some explanations, isn't it?" Takato said softly, slightly distracted as he tried to find something he could use to stem the flow of blood dripping down his face.

"Here, let me help." Orihime offered. "Soten Kisshun." Ayame and Shun'O emerged from her hair clips and produced a small golden field around Takato and he was fascinated as he felt the pain disappear and his cuts and bruises disappear. When the two fairies disappeared, Takato looked like he'd never even gotten injured to begin with.

"What was that?" Takato asked. "And what's with the weird outfits?"

"Looks like we owe you a few explanations as well." Rukia said.

"We can continue this at my place." Ichigo offered. Everyone agreed and they headed off (after WarGrowlmon and Beelzemon de-digivolved).

"To think that this tiny creature could become something so powerful…" Chad mused, holding Jyarimon (he was easier to transport in that form). He tickled the small digimon and the digimon giggled. Chad always did have a liking for cute things. They were standing just outside of Ichigo's house, with Ichigo and Rukia back in their bodies.

"Digimon are pretty surprising creatures." Takato said with a small smile. "Now Jyarimon, remember… you're supposed to be a doll, right?"

"Okay, Takato." Jyarimon said childishly and freezing as he pretended to be an inanimate object. Impmon just hid in Takato's bag.

When they opened the door, Ichigo was met with a kick to the face by his overzealous father. This progressed into a fight between the two and Takato stared at them bewildered. "Does this happen often?" he asked, sweatdropping.

"Sadly, yes." Rukia said, shaking her head. "Let's get up to Ichigo's room. He'll take a while."

Ichigo finally arrived in his room, looking pretty irritated at his immature father's antics. He pushed that to the side, however, as he situated himself in his room and looked at Takato.

"So, do you want to go first?" he asked.

"How about we do this?" Rukia suggested. "You ask him a question and then he'll ask you a question. Therefore, you both get equal opportunity to find out as much as you can."

"Sounds good to me." Takato said. "You first, Kurosaki-kun."

"What exactly are digimon?" Ichigo asked.

"Digimon are digital life forms, made of data. Most of them live in a separate world called the Digital World, which is basically the world's digital network." Takato explained. "Digimon often come to our world, however. Either in search of a human Tamer to help them grow stronger or to just cause havoc. So… what was with your weird outfits?"

"Rukia and I are Shinigami." Ichigo said bluntly. "Well, I'm actually just a Substitute Shinigami, but that's because I'm still technically alive and the means in which I became a Shinigami are rather special. How did you get involved in this entire digimon thing?"

"I was ten years old and very much into the entire digimon franchise. One day, I'd gone to play the digimon card game with my friends Hirokazu and Kenta when I found a strange blue card in my deck, something that hadn't been there before. I slashed it through my card reader and the device went on the fritz. Later that day, I drew a picture of my ideal digimon, Guilmon. When I went to retrieve my deck and card reader, I found a digivice in the place of my card reader and the blue card was gone. That night, I tried to slash the picture of Guilmon through the slot in the digivice (or D-Arc) and it scanned his data. The next thing I know I had a digiegg that could hatch at any time. It eventually did and that's how I got Guilmon in my life." Takato stated. "So how did you become a Shinigami?"

"It all started with meeting Rukia, really." Ichigo stated. "She came into my room, searching for something. She didn't even know I could see her until I kicked her. She eventually explained to me that she was a Shinigami and she had two purposes: one to help Plus souls (good spirits) to Soul Society and two, to purify the fallen souls that are soul-sucking monsters called Hollows. A Hollow ended up attacking my family and Rukia got injured trying to protect us. I wanted to protect my family, so she gave me some of her power and I became a Shinigami myself. Are you the only one with a digimon partner?"

"No, there are seven other Tamers. Well six if you count the fact that one of the digimon partner's was killed in battle six years ago." Takato said, noting Impmon's dark look. He felt sympathy for the small imp knowing he would never forgive himself for having killed Leomon.

The discussions proceeded from there, as they told each other of the adventures they'd gone through and what the others should be weary of.

"You guys have been through a lot in this last year." Takato whistled. "And I thought the D-Reaper had been bad…"

"You seem to go through a lot yourself. You went through those ideals when you were just a little kid. That's impressive in its own right." Orihime stated.

"Now that we've got this out of the way, we really should think about the strangeness of the Espada's visit. They didn't come here to fight or anything of that sort. They practically did nothing. So why did they come?" Rukia inquired with a frown. "I think we're going to have to report to Soul Society about this."

"I guess there's no other option." Ichigo said. "Just as long as we figure out what's going on."

Takato looked at the time. "It's getting late and I think it's about time I face my parents with the explanation as to why I left school early. I'll see you guys later."

"See you later, Matsuda-kun." Orihime said with a smile and others waved goodbye to the Tamer as he left with his partner and Impmon.

"Tell me what you saw, Ulquiorra." Aizen said calmly and Ulquiorra crushed his eye to give everyone in the room a visual of what had gone on in Karakura Town. After they saw the entire spectacle, Aizen smirked. "Interesting. I want you to keep an eye on the town for now, see if more of these incidents occur. You and Grimmjow will go together, in gigai so you won't be dedicated by Soul Society's radar."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra stated while Grimmjow just snorted.

Back in Shinjuku, a certain Legendary Tamer tossed and turned, plagued by dreams of the monster that just wouldn't stay in his grave: Millenniummon.

'_You can't fight it anymore, Ryo… we belong together and you know it. We're partners…_' Millenniummon's poisonous voice rang through his head.

'_No…_' Ryo resisted, albeit weakly. Millenniummon had been working hard on breaking his will for quite some time now. Ryo was all but his by now.

'_You can't deny it, Ryo, not any more._' Millenniummon said maliciously as a strange darkness surrounded the Tamer and his slumbering partner, Monodramon.

Akiyama Ryo woke up and got out of the bed, seeming rather sedate. He stood in front of a mirror and observed his reflection. His normal brown hair had turned black and his once brilliant cerulean blue eyes had turned blood red. A sadistic smirk appeared on his formerly expressionless face. "_Got you_." Millenniummon's voice spoke from his body.

Here's where my slight dilemma comes in. I'm deciding on how evil Ryo would be like (particularly with his interactions with Takato, because I find the idea of personal confrontations between Millenniummon/Ryo and the wielder of the Digital Hazard rather fun to plot). Save for the fact that some of the ideas may seem almost yaoi-esque in their creepiness (possessed Ryo is going to get pretty damn dark and creepy if I have my way; it's really fun). What are your opinions?

Should I keep it to just plain old hostility or something stranger (in the sense of Ryo/Millenniummon gaining a slightly possessive taint to his personality). Anything I can use to shape just how dark I make him.


	3. Ryo's Cruelty

Chapter Three

Sorry that it took a little longer than I'd expected to bring this chapter up, but I hope it's to your liking. I decided to go with the dark, possessive Ryo as most of you seem to like. Who wants a boring traditional style nemesis anyways? Hope you enjoy it.

Special thanks to **The One who Meeps **for betaing this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Digimon or Bleach.

--

Chapter Three Ryo's Cruelty

Tenth Division Captain Hitsugaya Toushirou sighed as he returned to his office after a Captain's meeting. The Captain-Commander gave him orders to assemble a team and go to the Living World to help Ichigo and Rukia investigate the strange behavior and actions the Arrancar had been taking as of late. He was further irritated when he found Matsumoto asleep on the couch, ignoring her paperwork again.

Sighing, he walked over, kneeling to whisper in her ear. "Matsumoto…" he sang, an almost evil smirk on his face.

"…Taichou?" Matsumoto yawned, still half-asleep.

"I burned all of your sake." He said bluntly. This woke her up instantly.

"WHAT?!" she screamed, looking at her Captain. "You're so mean, Taichou. How could you?"

"I lied." said Hitsugaya dryly before going to his desk. "Get to work… I need to decide who is going to come with me to the Living World."

"You're mean." Matsumoto whined again before she processed what Hitsugaya had sad. "We're going to the Living World? Great! I needed to get some shopping done!" Matsumoto squealed. Hitsugaya glared.

"Don't make me change my mind about bringing you." He warned. "I'm requesting Kuchiki-taichou to allow me to bring Abarai-fukutaichou along. Do you have any suggestions about who else I should bring along?"

"Madarame and Ayasegawa are a good idea. They've been on our team before." Matsumoto said and Hitsugaya agreed.

It was late the next night and Takata was doing his homework. He'd had a late start since he'd worked in the bakery from the moment he'd gotten home. Guilmon, Impmon, and Calumon had already fallen asleep long ago.

Takato blinked when he realized he'd gotten an e-mail, from Ryo no less. Takato hadn't seen the Legendary Tamer in a long time. He wondered why Ryo chose to contact him now. He opened the message and read it.

Hey Takato,

I'm in Karakura Town for the time being and I was wondering if you'd come to the park, right now. There's something I need to talk to you about urgently. Come alone.

Signed,

Ryo

Takato frowned. Ryo wanted to meet him so late at night? Alone, nonetheless. It seemed odd but Takato trusted Ryo, so he'd go. Not wanting to alert his parents, Takato snuck out through the window. He walked off, not noticing that Ichigo had sighted him.

'_Where's he going?_' thought the Substitute Shinigami. He decided to follow, leaving behind his Shinigami badge.

At the same time, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra arrived in the Living World in their new gigai. They caught sight of Takato and Ulquiorra frowned.

"That was the human that the draconian creature obeyed." He said.

"Then let's follow him." Grimmjow said and they did just that.

Takato arrived in the park, eyes scanning for the Legendary Tamer. "Ryo? Are you there?"

"I'm right here, Takato." Ryo stated from somewhere in the shadows. Chills ran down Takato's back. There was something odd about Ryo's voice. He ignored the part of him that was telling him to run away while he still could. When Ryo came out of the shadows and into the moonlight, Takato gasped. Ryo looked demonic.

"What happened to you?" asked the Hazard Tamer, backing away.

"Many things." Ryo intoned. "But I don't have time to go into the details." Takato yelped as Ryo lunged for him, pinning the smaller boy to a tree with his hands held above his head and his feet dangling off the ground.

At that point, Ichigo, who had been watching silently, was about to go help Takato when he was grabbed from behind and immobilized against someone's chest, one of his assailant's arms pinning his arms and the other keeping his mouth shut.

"Shut up and stay still, Kurosaki." Growled Grimmjow. "We want to see this." Ichigo fought furiously but as he was in his human body, he couldn't do much. Grimmjow was still physically stronger than him, even in a gigai.

"Let me go!" Takato cried, trying to wriggle out of Ryo's grasp with no avail. "Why are you doing this, Ryo?"

"Simple, because I'm not Ryo. At least not the one you're familiar with." The possessed Tamer sneered. "My real partner, Millenniummon, showed me the error of my ways. Why try to save a world that's not even grateful for it? I'm far superior to those mortals… and _you_… the self-appointed guardian of both worlds… don't even see that you are so much more than they are."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Takato said, utterly confused.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Ryo smirked. His nails turned into claws and he sliced Takato's shirt open, reveling in the flash of alarm in Takato's crimson eyes. "I'll make sure you never forget this…" Takato shrieked in pain as Ryo began to carve something in his chest.

'_Guilmon!_' Takato called him through their link, his mind in a frenzy. Tears streamed down his face as the pain became too much for him.

"Your screams are music to my ears." Ryo said sadistically as he wiped at Takato's tears with mock tenderness, staining the leader's pale cheeks red.

Suddenly, the air got much colder and Ryo heard a voice hiss out.

"_Soten ni zase… Hyourinmaru!_"

Ryo whirled around, letting go of Takato, to see Hitsugaya ready to strike, Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichikia flanking him on both sides. Ryo sneered.

"You need to learn to mind your own business." He snarled before he snapped his fingers. Cyberdramon swooped in, using Desolation Claw to stir up the dirt and obscure everyone's sight as he grabbed Ryo and fled.

At that point, Grimmjow decided he and Ulquiorra had seen enough.

"See you around, Kurosaki." sneered Grimmjow, tossing Ichigo into the clearing while he and Ulquiorra entered a Garganta.

Hitsugaya and Matsumoto went to check Takato, who had slumped over, suffering from the effects of the blood loss. Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika headed over to Ichigo.

"Where did you come from?" Renji queried, helping the Substitute Shinigami get back on his feet.

"I'd been following Takato over there when Grimmjow grabbed me from behind." Ichigo scowled.

"You don't look hurt." Ikkaku mused.

"That's because he didn't do anything but pin me down. This is the second time Espada have come without causing harm." Ichigo muttered as he headed over to Takato. "We should get him treated."

"I already closed the wound as best I could for now. We'll deal with it more when we get to Urahara's." Hitsugaya said as Ichigo picked up the now unconscious Tamer and they all headed off, not knowing of a feral Guilmon and pissed off Beelzemon searching the city for the lost Tamer.

Later, as Takato rested in a room, Ichigo sat at a table with Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Urahara and Yoruichi.

"So you're telling me that so far the Espada have appeared but not attacked twice. Aside from that, we now have creatures called Digimon appearing in Karakura Town coinciding with the arrival of Matsuda Takato, the leader of a group of humans called the Digimon Tamers?" Hitsugaya repeated what Ichigo told them all.

"That's the basic idea." Ichigo said with a nod.

"We've got visitors." Urahara said suddenly as Guilmon and Beelzemon burst their way into the house. Beelzemon went straight to Ichigo, grabbing him by the collar.

"Where's Takato?" he snarled.

"I think he already knows." Yumichika said, pointing to Guilmon, who had headed straight for the room Takato was in.

"What happened?" the Demon Lord asked when he saw Takato's bandaged and bloodied chest.

"I'm not exactly sure. I saw Takato leaving home and going to the park. He called for some guy named Ryo. Ryo came out but for some reason, the sight of him startled Takato. Ryo pinned Takato to the tree but when I went to help, I was pinned down by the observing Espada. Ryo spoke of he and Takato being superior to the humans and then he carved something into Takato's chest. Oddly enough, it was the same symbol that's on Guilmon's chest." Ichigo stated.

The look of stunned outrage on Beelzemon's face showed that he knew the importance of the symbol, and Ryo's role in their lives.

"Care to explain the significance?" questioned Yoruichi, crossing her arms.

"That's for Takato to explain if he wants to." Beelzemon said hotly. "So who the hell are you, anyways?"

"We'll save introductions for when your friend wakes up." Urahara stated. "How about we all enjoy a cup of tea in the meantime?"

Takato woke up a little while later, feeling the now much duller ache of his injury. Not being able to recognize his surroundings but feeling the presence of his partner, Takato staggered into the room where everyone was.

"Yare, yare. It seems like our young guest has finally awoken." Urahara said, staring at the Tamer.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but who are all of you? And where am I?" Takato asked, stumbling into a seat beside Guilmon, who repositioned himself to lie on Takato's lap.

"I'm Urahara Kisuke, owner of the candy store you're currently in. I'm an exiled Shinigami who provides services to other Shinigami." The ex-Captain introduced himself.

"I'm Hitsugaya Toushirou, the Captain of the Tenth Division." The white-haired prodigy said.

"I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division. Your partner is a real cutie. I've always had a bit of a weakness for dragons." Matsumoto chirped happily, enjoying the slight bit of red that she saw appear on her Captain's cheeks for the inference.

"The name's Abarai Renji, Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division. I'm also the childhood friend of Kuchiki Rukia." Renji stated.

"I'm Madarama Ikkaku and this is my comrade Ayasegawa Yumichika. We're the Third and Fifth seats of the Eleventh Division, respectively." The bald Shinigami said. "Think you'd let me fight one of your Digimon friends?"

"Bring it on, Baldy!" Beelezemon said challengingly, but he backed down at Takato's reprimanding glare. Yumichika held Ikkaku down.

"Now that you're awake, would you care to tell us what happened in the park?" Ichigo asked. "Who's Ryo and what did he mean when he carved Guilmon's symbol into you?" Takato's eyes dimmed slightly as he looked down.

"Ryo is one of the Tamers. The first one, in fact. They call him the Legendary Tamer for his experience. We've never known much about him but I knew he had a good heart. I don't know what happened but he's changed." Takato said.

The Shinigami couldn't help but feel that there were some similarities between Takato's beliefs about Ryo and Hinamori's beliefs about Aizen.

"What about the symbol?" Renji inquired.

"It's best to let sleeping demons lie." Takato said vaguely, clearly showing that he didn't want to talk about it. '_Why must the Digital Hazard haunt me even now?_'

At that moment, the group got distracted by the arrival of Rukia, who instantly plowed her fist into Ichigo's face. "You idiot! How the hell could you forget to bring your badge with you?! How stupid can you be?" raged the irate noble. This, of course, led to a big argument between the two.

Watching them, Takato couldn't help but miss his own friends. '_I could really use your help… Jen, Ruki._' He thought sadly.


	4. Alliances and Preparations

Chapter Four

I find that I'm getting a lot of fresh new ideas for this story, even some which came to me as I was writing the story that just made a huge twist. I'll let you see what it is as you read on. Hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Digimon or Bleach.

--

Chapter Four Alliances and Preparations

Ryo and Cyberdramon flew through the darkened night sky, no real destination in mind yet. They paused, however, when they saw a rip form in the air. Two figures stepped out: Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. Ryo raised a curious eyebrow.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Ulquiorra Schiffer. The Cuarta Espada." The pale-skinned Espada declared.

"Grimmjow Jaggerjacques, Sexta Espada." The blue-haired Espada introduced himself.

"What the hell do you want?" the possessed Tamer asked.

"Aizen-sama, Lord of Hueco Mundo, wishes to speak with you." Ulquiorra stated unemotionally.

"I don't know much about your _Aizen-sama_, but considering he went out of his way to give me a formal invitation… I'll play your game for now." Ryo said, intrigued slightly.

"Follow us." Ulquiorra said, unphased by Ryo's arrogance. He didn't seem so pleased that they had to bring Ryo and Cybedramon with them to Hueco Mundo.

"Very well." Ryo said. If they gave him any trouble, he'd just blast his way out. He had enough power. He followed them into the Garganta and into Las Noches.

The two Espada led him silently to the throne room, where Ryo saw the one he assumed to be Aizen, flanked by a man with purplish silver hair and a creepy gin and a dark skinned man who was clearly blind.

"You prove to be quite an interesting human, Akiyama Ryo." Aizen said, crossing his arms.

"So you know my name – or rather, my vessel's name." the Dark Tamer mused. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Millenniummon, the Dark God of the Digital World. Or at least I had been. I intend to reclaim my title soon enough."

"Do tell me about this Digital World…" Aizen said, sounding intrigued. After Millenniummon explained everything about the digimon and the Digital World, Aizen smirked. Who knew humans could create such a magnificent sounding dimension? He'd have to check in on that further… "I could help you… if you help me." He proposed and the Dark God raised an eyebrow.

"Basically I scratch your back and you scratch mine?" stated the Legendary Tamer. He smirked. "What forces do you have to offer me?"

"My Espada and the other Arrancar. They should help you greatly with your plans." The traitorous Shiniami declared. "In exchange, you help me overcome those who get in my way of becoming the God of this world."

"Interesting, but do you really think there's room for two Gods?" Ryo queried. Aizen smirked.

"I'm willing to make some concessions if you are." Aizen said. '_Once you are no longer of use to me, I'll end you._'

"Then you've got yourself an alliance. My Demon Lords are at your disposal." Ryo said. '_Like I'd let you have even an ounce of the power that is rightfully mine._'

Deep within the Digital World, the four digimon Sovereigns held council within the center of the world, which had once been Huanlongmon's, the ultimate Sovereign, domain.

"Millenniummon has taken control of Akiyama Ryo's body. His move to take over the Digital World will be swift and deadly. Worse yet is that the Digital Hazard is dangerously close to him and in a form that he could easily take it. If he gains control of it… all the worlds are lost." Azulongmon, the large, majestic blue dragon of the East, stated gravely.

"I told you it was a stupid idea to seal it within a human's body, but no… you did it anyways!" Zuqaiomon, the large, fiery pheonix of the South, voiced his displeasure.

"It was our only option. The Real World is a place mostly untouched by digimon. It would keep it out of the wrong hands. We didn't count on the enemy already being in the Real World." Baihumon, the white tiger of the North, defended their decision.

"Be quiet, both of ye." The Irish head of Ebonwumon, the great turtle of the West, said, silencing his fellow Sovereins. "There's no point in crying over spilt milk. All we can try to do is rectify the problem."

"I will send Gennai and six of my Chosen to your Real World, Zuqaiomon, so that they made the Hazard Tamer against a threat that will most certainly center around him." Azulongmon declared.

"Great… more humans." Zuqaiomon grumbled. "Do what you want. Just as long as it gets rid of the Millenniummon problem."

"I'm sure they will be a great asset to your Chosen." Azulongmon assured the hotheaded pheonix.

Izumi Koushirou frowned as he received a message from Gennai. It had been a long time since he'd gotten a message from Azulongmon's emissary.

Clicking on it, he frowned at what he read.

_Koushirou,_

_ I'm afraid to say that Millenniummon has returned to wreak havoc upon the Digital World, but in a different Quadrant. I'm requesting that you pass on a message to Taichi, Yamato, Hikari, Takeru, Daisuke and Ken that the Sovereigns wish to meet them where Infinity Mountain once was at noon tomorrow._

_Gennai_

Koushirou paled. If Millenniummon was really back, that spelled trouble for them all. He quickly dialed Taichi's number. The sooner he informed them of the problem, the sooner they could start working to resolve it.

Takato had informed Hypnos about Ryo's "betrayal" and Yamaki had agreed to let Jenrya and Ruki come over. They'd be staying at a Hypnos funded apartment. They would come within a few days once everything was set up for them. Takato was just happy that he'd be around his friends again. He'd been slightly jealous of Ichigo for having all of his nakama so close by (save for those who resided in Soul Society).

Overall, Takato thought they weren't so bad.

Ichigo was a rather likeable guy, once you got past the perpetual scowl. Takato found it easy to be friends with him. It was the same way with Rukia, although he couldn't quite fathom her love for Chappy. She kind of reminded him of Juri…

Takato could admire Orihime for her innocence. It seemed that no matter what she'd been through, she'd been able to hang onto it. He just hoped she wouldn't get hurt in the future. Then again, Tatsuki, Ichigo and Ishida seemed pretty determined to make sure that never happened. Takato was beginning to get the feeling that the introverted Quincy had a crush on Orihime but he couldn't be sure just yet.

Takato could see how close Ichigo and Chad were and couldn't help but smile at the memories of some of their interactions at school. It was kind of like him and Jen.

He hadn't got to know much about Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Matsumoto and Hitsugaya yet, considering it had only been a few days since their arrival and they'd been pretty busy as of late. Impmon had taken a shine to Ikkaku, however, which didn't surprise Takato very much. The two hotheads had found something in common in their love for battle. Calumon, on the other hand, was now getting utterly spoiled by the affections showered upon him by Orihime and Matsumoto. Their girlish squeals when they played with him seemed to grate on the nerves of the poor Tenth Division Captain who was staying with them at Orihime's apartment. If there was one thing that Takato knew about Hitsugaya, it was that the genius was suspicious of him. Particularly because Takato refused to tell them of the Digital Hazard.

'_It's my burden and mine alone. I don't need to concern them with it._' He thought to himself with a decisive nod. His eyes fell on his sleeping partner. It was hard to imagine that his innocent digimon had ever turned into the fearsome Megidramon, who had been destroying both worlds just by existing. If that wasn't a proper display of what the Digital Hazard was capable of, Takato didn't know what was. "Okay… enough brooding. If Ruki even saw you like this, she'd kick your ass." He told himself, shaking himself to knock out the depressive thoughts.

Guilmon suddenly let out a loud snore, startling Takato from his reverie. He started mumbling something about Guilmon bread, causing Takato to chuckle. Guilmon never changed. His thoughts then fell onto Ryo.

"I wonder what he's up to…" he mused out loud. "Whatever it is… we'll have to be ready for it."


	5. Chosen Children of the East and South

I finally got this next chapter up

I finally got this next chapter up. I'm still plotting how the first digimon/Arrancar battle will come out (the first battle doesn't necessarily count as the alliance had not yet been made). I'm going to have fun with it though and I hope you like it too. Ruki and Jenrya will arrive in the next chapter.

I've hopefully explained everything you all want to know about the different Quadrants question. As for any wonders about the Digital Hazard, it will be explained as the story goes on. Basically, however, it's an apocalyptic force that Takato and Guilmon house within their bodies.

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or Bleach.

--

Chapter FiveChosen Children of the East and South

Taichi, Hikari, Yamato, Takeru, Daisuke and Ken arrived near Infinity Mountain, seeing the four Sovereigns waiting for them. they couldn't help but feel slightly awed at the sight of them all but quickly overcame it.

"It's a good thing you've all come." Azulongmon said. "As you know, Millenniummon has returned but not in our Quadrant, but in Zuqaiomon's. not only that, but he's residing in a Real World different than your own."

"Another Real World?" Daisuke repeated, confused.

"You can say it's another dimension that is as tied to the Digital World as your own is. Each Quadrant has its own Real World." Baihumon explained.

"So Millenniummon is in another dimension?" Ken queried with a frown. "It figures he would try something different this time around."

"He's trying something very different this time." Zuqaiomon grumbled bitterly. "He's taken over the body of Akiyama Ryo." The Chosen Children, save for Daisuke, who didn't know Ryo, gasped.

"That can't be. Ryo's strong… he wouldn't have let this happen!" Veemon exclaimed, surprising his partner.

"You knew this guy?" Daisuke gaped. Veemon looked a little guilty for having kept the secret from his partner.

"I was his partner once. Not his real one, mind you, but we worked together to stop Millenniummon. Ken and Wormmon were with us too." Veemon said. Daisuke turned to his DNA Digivolution partner, looking surprised.

"Am I the only one who doesn't know this Akiyama guy?" Daisuke asked, a little frustrated.

"Iori and Miyako don't know either." Taichi remarked but that didn't make Daisuke feel any better.

"We'll explain things to you later, Daisuke." Takeru said. "Right now, we should let the Sovereigns talk."

"Millenniummon has yet to actually start his attack against the Digital World, or the Real World he's residing in, but we fear he will fixate on the leader of the Southern Quadrant's Chosen. If the leader falls, I can assure you, Millenniummon will be unstoppable. I can't tell you the reason why as it his burdern to bear. Therefore, I'm sending you t where he is so you can assist him."

"Basically, we're going to babysit him." Yamato said dryly.

"I wouldn't be so quick to believe in the boy's inexperience, Ishida-kun." Azulongmon said. "He's quite capable, albeit a little more sensitive than either Taichi or Daisuke."

"I bet that's refreshing." Hikari mused. "A Chosen leader who isn't so reckless."

"Hey!" Taichi and Daisuke exclaimed in protest, causing the other Chosen to laugh.

"What's the guy's name?" Ken inquired, speaking for the first time since he found out that Ryo was possessed by his own enemy.

"Matsuda Takato. You'll be able to tell who he is by both his golden digivice and his unique partner, Guilmon." Baihumon said.

"It's time for you to head for the Southern Quadrant's Real World. I will assist in the process." Azulongmon said, creating a cloud around Gennai, the Chosen, and their digimon partners. The cloud followed Zuqaiomon as he returned to his Quadrant.

Takato, Ichigo and Rukia were working on homework together at Takato's place when Takato's D-Arc began beeping, almost frantically.

"We've got a big one on our hands." Takato sighed, standing up. Ichigo and Rukia stood up too, earning a curious look from Takato.

"We'll come with you." Ichigo said. "You're still injured." Takato didn't object.

They saw a rather large Digital Field and upon entering, Takato couldn't believe his eyes. The Chosen Children he had thought to only exist in the TV show were standing there, along with their partners and Gennai. Only six of the Chosen Children were there but they were still a formidable sight.

"Are you Matsuda Takato?" Taichi asked, eyeing the golden D-Arc in the Tamer's hand. The boy nodded dumbly.

"Well that saves us the trouble of finding you." Daisuke said brightly, holding out a hand for Takato to shake. "Motimiya Daisuke, at your service. My partner is Veemon."

Takato took his hand and shook it, a little shocked.

"Can you trust these guys?" Ichigo asked with a small frown. He'd never watched Digimon Adventure, and had thus, not known who the Chosen Children were.

"Yes. They're Chosen Children like me." Takato said.

"That's like what you said about that Akiyama guy." Ichigo muttered under his breath, only to get elbowed by Rukia.

"I'm Yagami Taichi, the leader of the Chosen Children of the Eastern Quadrant. I'm partnered with Agumon. Daisuke-kun is the leader of the second generation as we call them. It's nice to meet you. We were sent here by the Sovereigns to help you with Millenniummon." The large-haired boy explained.

Takato blinked in confusion and looked at his two Shinigami companions. "Millenniummon?" he repeated in confusion.

"You mean you don't know? The Sovereigns told me you had already encountered him. He's using Akiyama Ryo as a vessel." Yamato said.

"So that's what's wrong with him!" Takato gaped in shock. He was actually kind of relieved that he now knew the reason behind Ryo's uncharacteristic behavior. "But… how did you know who Ryo is?"

"Akiyama-kun was once an inhabitant of the Eastern Quadrant, where the Chosen live. He started his adventures with Agumon as his partner, saving the other Chosen and defeating Millenniummon." Gennai explained.

"Why didn't he tell us anything about this?" Takato frowned.

"That's something only he can answer." Gennai declared. "Who are your companions?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo." The orange-haired Substitute Shinigami introduced himself.

"I'm Kuchiki Rukia. It's nice to meet all of you." The noble said.

"I'm Ishida Yamato, Gabumon's partner. This is my brother, Takaishi Takeru and his partner Patamon." The older blonde boy declared.

"Ichijouji Ken. Ryo used to be a really good friend of mine." The former Digimon Kaiser said.

"I'm Wormmon, his partner." The timid green worm spoke out.

"I'm Yagami Hikari, Taichi's sister. My partner is Gatomon." The last of the Chosen introduced herself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Takato said. "Maybe we should move to another place to discuss this further?"

"Good idea." Takeru stated.

Daemon raged inside the Dark Ocean. He'd spent the last few years trying to escape this prison with little success. He cursed the Chosen again for their part in his imprisonment.

Suddenly, he saw a portal open and two figures stepped out. Unwelcome figures.

"Akiyama Ryo?" Daemon gaped in outrage. Ryo smirked coldly.

"In body alone." Millenniummon's voice rang out from the human body. "Are you ready to serve me once more, Daemon?"

Daemon's red eyes gleamed as he recognized the one who once led him and his Brethren. "I'm more than ready."

Smirking, Ryo led Daemon through the Garganta and into Las Noches, leaving the Dark Ocean empty once more save for its normal inhabitants.


End file.
